Kingston Council is set to spend at least £248million over the next four years on projects including buying homes, expanding schools and improving parks. The council has set out its planned capital programme from 2026 to 2030 as costs and demand on services continue to spiral.

A new council report said the budget plans will help the authority to tackle major challenges in delivering services and supporting those most in need. It outlined how councils are facing a "tougher than ever operating environment" due to the ongoing impact of the cost-of-living crisis, rising demand and insufficient funding.

The programme involves spending on infrastructure in the borough and sets aside £132.5m for projects in 2026/27, along with £59.1m so far for 2027/28, £44.7m for 2028/29 and £11.8m for 2029/30.

The council plans to spend £105m from its Housing Revenue Account (HRA) on schemes including £7.8m on making properties more energy efficient, £7m on buying 50 homes for families in temporary accommodation and £800,000 on treating damp.

Major investment is planned to continue the regeneration of the Cambridge Road Estate, in Norbiton, including £39.2m on buying new affordable homes and £150,000 on upgrading residents' social space.

The authority is also set to spend £11.7m on building 45 specialist and supported housing units on Acre Road, £2.6m on adapting homes for disabled residents, £2.5m on fire safety works and £365,000 on asbestos containment and removal.

A total of £6m has been earmarked for progressing school expansion projects, including at Burlington School, St Philip's School and Kingston Academy, along with £809,000 for school maintenance works.

The council is looking to spend £4.5m on combining children's centres and youth services into family hubs, £738,000 on improving the Market House and £454,000 on revamping Kingston Museum and Kingston Library.

Flood alleviation schemes are set to cost £1.4m over the period, on top of £2.5m street light replacements.

Major contracts involving the environment are expected to set the council back £2.9m, including £1m to replace waste collection and recycling vehicles, £854,000 to install eight PlayZones and £758,000 to improve parks. It has allocated £100,000 to replace ageing artificial sports pitches and put together plans for a new padel facility.

The authority plans to spend £2.3m on digital and IT services, including £1.8m on improving infrastructure, £100,000 on installing a new library management system and £24,000 on replacing outdated mobile phones.

A new council report said: "This budget is designed to support the council in meeting the significant challenges it faces in delivering services for residents, as well as supporting vulnerable communities and those most in need.

"This is set against a backdrop of the ongoing impact of an economic cost-of-living crisis, coupled with the national picture of increasing demand in terms of both volume and complexity, and insufficient funding within the sector, producing a tougher than ever operating environment for local authorities."

Council tax hike

The authority is looking to hike council tax by 4.99 per cent – the maximum increase allowed without holding a referendum – to help fund the plans. This includes a 2.99 per cent increase for general use and an extra 2 per cent for adult social care.

The authority will publish a breakdown of the total council tax residents in each band will pay, if the proposed 4.99 per cent hike is applied, in due course.

The total sums will include Mayor of London Sadiq Khan's precept to help fund police, fire and transport, along with the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators' (WPCC) levy for affected properties in Kingston.

The council plans to make £3.4m in savings in 2026/27, while it has so far found extra savings of £1.6m over the next three years.

It will discuss the budget proposals at committees over the coming weeks, before making a final decision at its budget meeting on February 26.